The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is a sports car produced by Alfa Romeo between 2007 and 2010, first shown as a concept car at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. The name refers to its eight-cylinder engine (8C) and Alfa Romeo’s racing pedigree. Maserati engineers created the production version, and 829 cars were built: 500 coupés and 329 8C Spiders.
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione at a glance
| Production | 2007–2010; 829 cars (500 Competizione and 329 8C Spider) |
|---|---|
| Concept | 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, designed by Wolfgang Egger and Daniele Gaglione (Centro Stile Alfa Romeo) |
| Body and chassis | carbon fibre body on a steel chassis by ITCA Produzione; final assembly at Maserati in Modena |
| Engine | 4.7 L (4,691 cc) 90° V8 assembled by Ferrari, Ferrari/Maserati-derived cross-plane crank, wet sump |
| Power and torque | 450 PS (331 kW) at 7,000 rpm; 480 N·m at 4,750 rpm; redline 7,500 rpm; compression ratio 11.3:1 |
| Gearbox | six-speed transaxle with steering-column paddles, shifts in 175 ms in Sport mode |
| Tyres | 20-inch, 245/35 front and 285/35 rear |
| Brakes | Brembo carbon ceramic; 32 m from 97 km/h (Road & Track) |
| Top speed | 292 km/h (181 mph) official; Road & Track estimated about 306 km/h |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
The 8C Competizione was first shown at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. The lines of the two-seater were meant to echo Alfa Romeos of the 1950s and 1960s, and the Competizione name refers to the 1948 6C 2500 Competizione, which finished third in both the 1949 and 1950 Mille Miglia. During the Mondial de l’Automobile 2006 Alfa Romeo announced production of 500 units.
The production car is very similar to the concept; the biggest exterior difference is the rear-hinged bonnet, with other changes including xenon front lights, a standard wiper system, a mesh side vent and wheels that mimic the cloverleaf logo. Only 500 customers ended up with the Competizione and another 329 with the Spider, bringing the production total to 829. Maserati dealers handled servicing in the United States.
Design and features
- Platform: a unique platform that shares several components with the Maserati GranTurismo.
- Colours: Alfa Red or Black as standard, Pearl Yellow and Special Competition Red as options, with paint-to-sample colours available.
- Brakes: Road & Track called the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes “phenomenal”.
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione versions
- 8C Competizione (2007): the coupé, 500 built.
- 8C Spider (2009): the open version, 329 built.
- 2003 concept: the Frankfurt show car.
More Alfa Romeo sports cars are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Alfa Romeo 4C, the 8C 2900B and the Alfa Romeo 6C. Our older pages about the 8C test drives and TV features are covered here.
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione questions and answers
What does 8C mean?
Eight cylinders (cilindri in Italian); the Competizione name nods to Alfa Romeo’s racing pedigree.
Who built the 8C Competizione?
Maserati engineers developed the production car and it was assembled at the Maserati factory in Modena.
What engine does it have?
A 4.7-litre V8 assembled by Ferrari with 450 PS at 7,000 rpm.
How many were made?
829: 500 coupés and 329 Spiders.
How fast is it?
An official top speed of 292 km/h (181 mph).
Sources
- Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, English Wikipedia: history, production, powertrain, performance
